Spring construction for vehicles



Jan. 15 1924. 1,480,624

R. M. LOVEJOY SPRING CONSTRUCTION FOR VEHICLES Fild Aug. 4, 1919 lr w ve nfor. Ralph M. Love joy ATTye Patented Jan. 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES RALPH M. LOVEJOY, OF MEREDITH, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

SPRING CONSTRUCTION FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed August 4, 1919. Serial No. 315,051.

T 0 all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, RALPH hi. LOVEJOY, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Meredith, county of Belknap, State of New Hampshire,have invented an Im rovement in Spring Constructions for Ve iicles, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representinglike parts.

This invention relates to improvements in spring constructions forvehicles and the o ject thereof is to provide a novel construction whichcomprises a spring rigidly anchored at one end to the frame andconnected to the other end by a universal joint,

the pur ose of the construction being to in crease t e durability of thes ring connections to the frame and to avoi the disagreeable rattlingwhich results from the wearing of the shackles usually employed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved shacklecomprising a plurality of universal joints.

A further feature of the invention consists in providing an ornamentalhousingfor the spring shackle which is adapted to be secured to theframe of the vehicle and which will also act as an enclosure to )reventaccumulation of dust upon the shac 1e.

A further feature of the invention consists in providing a shackleconstruction having one or more universal joints with means enclosingsaid joint or joints which will revent the entry of dust into the shacke.

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear fromthe following description and the annexed drawings and will be pointedout in the accompanying claims. v r

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a wheel-sup ported frame of an automobileillustrating the novel spring and shackle construction embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a detail view, partly in vertical section. of a shackleembodyin the invention, connecting the end of the frame to the end ofthey spring; and, i

Fig. 3 is an end view of the housing, partly broken away to show theposition of the spring and its connection to the shackle.

The present invention is illustrated as apbent downwardly at its end andis connected to the end of springs 5 which are connected to the. housing6 of the rear axle 7 upon which the traction wheels 8 are mounted.

In the construction illustrated herein the front and rear springs 2 and5 arebuilt-up leaf springs and are rigidly anchored at one endrespectively to brackets depending, from the frame and at the other endthe shackles forming part of my invention which will hereinafter be morefully described.

The front spring comprises one or more long leaves 9 having superimposedupon the rear end of the salne a series of progressively shorter leaves10. The rear end portion of this built-up construction is connectedrigidly to a suitablebracket 11 which is rigidly connected to the frame.Progressively shorter leaves 12 are also secured to the under face ofthe long leaf 10 and at their central portion preferably rest upon thefront axle 3 of the vehicle and are secured to it in any usual manner,not shown.

The rear spring 5, as illustrated herein, comprises two long leaves 9,upon the front end of the up ermost is supported a series of progressivey shorter leaves 13 which are [rigidly connected to a bracket 14 whichis rigidly secured to the frame. A series of progressively shorterleaves 15 are secured to the intermediate portion of the lower long leafand are secured at their middle portion by suitable clips 16 to the axlehousing 6 in the usual manner. It will thus be noted that each of thesprings is secured rigidly at one end to the frame and extends over arigid support forwardly and rear avardly beneath and in longitudinalparallelism with the front and rear end portions of the frame. Theotherwise free ends of the springs are connected to the frame byshackles which are provided with one or more universal joints preferablyin the following manner. As each of these shackles may be ofidenticalconstruction the description of one wilLsuflice for all.

A housin 17, which for ornamental purposes may e of general cylindricalform,

means including a universal joint connecting the other end of saidspringto the end of the frame.

4. In combination with a vehicle comprising a frame and an axle, a leafspring connected intermediate of its ends to said a de, means connectingone end of said spring rigidly and inflexibly to said frame and meansincluding a plurality ofuniversal joints connecting the other end ofsald spring to the end of the frame.

5. .n combination with a vehicle comprising a frame and an axle, a leafspringconnected intermediate of its ends to said axle, means connectingone end of said spring rigidly and inflexihly to said frame and meansincluding is!impression nembers joined by a plurality of ball and socketjoints conmeeting the other end of said spring to the end of the frame.

A shackle comprising a housing adapted to be secured to the frame of avehicle, means for connecting said housing to the end of a springincluding a plurality of members within said housing, connected by aplurality of universal joints, the wall of the housing having aspringreceiving opening of sufficient width to prevent contact of itswalls with the spring when the latter is subject to usual torsionalstrains by unequal and socket connections with each other, and aspheroidal anti-friction lining seated in each of said ball-receivingsockets.

8. A shackle comprising a dome-shaped housing having an extensionadapted to be secured to the frame of a vehicle, a socket memberdetachably connected to the dome of the housing, a ball member engagingsaid socket and having a stem provided with a. socket, a ball engagingthe latter socket and means for connecting said second hall to the endof a spring.

9. A shackle comprising a dome-shaped housin having an extension adaptedto be securerf to the frame of a vehicle, a socket member detachahlyconnected to the dome of the housing, a ball member engaging said socketand having a stem provided with a socket, a ball engaging the lattersocket and means for connecting said second ball to the end of a springand a boot enclosing said ball and socket connections.

10. A shackle comprisinga housing adapted to be secured to the frame ofa vehicle,

means for connecting said housing to the end of a spring including auniversal joint, the wall of the housing having a springreceivingopening and a shaft extending transversely of the lower portion of saidhousing adapted to be engaged by the downturned end of the spring andthereby to limit an abnormal longitudinal movement of the spring.

In test1mony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

RALPH M. LOVEJOY.

